From Nowhere

Images come bubbling up from nowhere sometimes.

Sometimes they flash across your mind from a near faded memory... or a brilliantly remembered moment when you were somewhere else... or even someone else.



Sometimes they drop in from a dream



or a piece of music or even a conversation you were part of that made Art Shenanigans prick up those ears!

And all you can do is turn the blog back on and share.

Take care.

Candace, Still Thankfully in Athens.

Lovely Lady Brigade

Hello!

Here's a lovely lady (Victorian, it seems) who will be made of (mostly) paper... WIP. I'm making a series of them for this year. Who knows, they may wind up on my Art Tree! They might end up in a magazine. (oh do tell! But first, cross your fingers.) I hope to place her against a little 3-D steampunkery for fun.



These Lovely Ladies are small and sweet, and some are for folks in and around my life -- all of them, too, "just as sweet as pie", as we say in the Deep South.

Speaking of the Deep South, I am thinking of Denise (So. Africa), whose mother needs our very kindest thoughts... as does she. Go say hello, won't you? You may blame all the tomfoolery on me. And I am thinking of all you Yanks who may be caught up in the Sun's mighty fierce heatwave this year.

Take care, everyone, wherever you are.

Candace, Still in Athens.

Happy Independence Day!

My Art Tree for the month of July reflects the ol' Red, White and Blue right down to the flowers (all reds, whites and blues) as well as the Barbies -- in variations on those same colours. Oh, okay, one of the Barbies is in a tuxedo... that's another story for another time.

Hello Everyone!

Isn't it funny how this trio of colour runs so deep for so many? Not just for us Yanks but our "cousins" across The Pond with their Union Jack -- and farther on, Viva la France! Same colours. The British colonies of New Zealand and Australia, countries in their own right, show the triage as well as the stars and stripes.

Long may they wave.

And here's the Red, White and Blue Trifle I made for today's holiday bash... YUMMO. Folks gobbled it right up.

See you next week, Peeps! I'm having a Hot Fun in the Summertime Art Shenanigan Day with Kitten. Whew... finally our paths cross again. And it's always a blessing, believe me.

Take care.

Candace, Still in Athens.

Alice, Put The Kettle On

-- and we'll all have tea.

Hello everyone!

First things first. Thanks so much to Vanessa of A Fanciful Twist for putting this show on for us today -- for the third annual Mad Tea Party. If you go here, you will be able to view so so many Blogovians having their MAD TEA PARTIES.

Now, I am not mad. Just a little dizzy! Ha! You would be too if your pen just magically started drawing on its own, producing some familiar characters ...

And if minutes away from guests arriving, your cat drank up something that caused this --

Say, didn't I tell you to leave that alone? Poor old Kit.

and then because his mantra is curiosity killed the cat but satisfaction brought him back, he nibbled on something and this happened ...

Get him away from the tea set! He's still growing!

Now you won't see the expected crowd. Not even a Red Queen, thank goodness. Altho her ladies in waiting are attending this year. I hear they are fast friends with Tweedledee and Tweedledum, but I think they are a bit easier on the eyes.

But you see the ever so charming Miss Wonderland plus a couple of faces you might just recognize, guests who rarely are invited anywhere. That girl with her personal White Rabbit, for instance.

Although for the life of me, I can't imagine why no one would invite a pig!

I hope you are enjoying the day, tea or no tea. If there is no tea, have mercy! Just get you a cuppa joe.

Candace, Still in Athens.

You Are Hereby Commanded

By The Red Queen

To Have A Spot of Tea & Magic

With Molly Brown & Company

Saturday, 26 June, 2010

At 4PM Eastern Time.

Art Shenanigans Will Be In Attendance.



Your Pal,
Candace. Still In Athens.
Reports of My Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated

Adopted Goes Two Ways

Hello Everybody!
Remember that early March evening in 2008 when Chris and Misha let friends know that Devon was going to show up? He will be TWO this September.

And now, just look at him. Tempus fugit, for real! He has teeth. He's talking! And he is such a great little kid. I’ve adopted him as my Stand In Nephew/Baby. His shirt says “iPood”. (And yes, it was from me, if you doubted it! His adopted Aunt Candace is nothing if not off the chain.)

The Happy Family. We met at De Palma’s in downtown Athens for dinner. We had just seen each other for lunch at one of our most favourite of places – The Last Resort. So Saturday was a Double Bubble wad of pleasure. Devon was in excellent form the entire day, flirting with and charming the waitresses and other diners.

Work and other matters have kept me from creating and posting as much and as often as I like. That’s just the way it’s going these days. But earnings is winding down -- so I hope (ah, hope -- that most elusive and irritating of words and concepts) to be catching up, and will be back next week, sharing some creative bits with you for real. As it stands now, here are some very early sketches...

A detail of a piece called "Mr and Mrs Happy Together".

Masque.

I hope to paint this one.

" I'll Have A Shirley Temple".

Until then, don’t forget Vanessa’s Mad Tea Party here. And Victorian Lady has a lovely inclusion as does Sarah in this copy of Art Doll Quarterly. And speaking of babies… ! Congrats, Mere! It’s always good to hear from friends and especially with news like hers.

Say, what's THIS? Well, it's my last ever (okay, okay, for a while) Sake Bomb. Two dollah! Into a glass of PBR Light, we sink the ubiquitous hot sake cup. And presto, change-o! A delight on a hot Southern afternoon, trust me.

And just why is it the last? Well, Peeps, I am on this new super duper medication regime (for a few weeks, nothing serious!) and that means NO al-kee-hall for a while. Sigh. Let us pray... ! No shellfish and now, no liquor. But a gal's gotta do what a gal's gotta do.

Now, if they tell me No Coffee, as My mom used to say, "I might as well curl up my toes."

Take care, everyone. Back in a few.

Candace

SouthWorks 2010 and More

Hello there!
Come on in and just sit a spell. It's been a while. But better late than never... Anyway, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words so do let these photos do the talking for me. (Fat chance, I know...)

Last week, I finally made it to SouthWorks, an annual artfest in nearby Watkinsville held every spring -- and would you believe it, it's the first time I've been? I always forget or I'm away or I'm working. Not this time, though.

T enters the SouthWorks 2010 Juried Art Exhibition in the OCAF Cultural Centers Building. OCAF sponsors this thriving art community and why don't we go just go from the ridiculous to the sublime? I think most of you know that's what I usually do anyway.

Now look, there is NO WAY I can show it all. So I took pix of my and T's (mostly MY) favourites. If you want to see the whole she-bang, you need to come visit us next May. I think that's only fair.

The Three Graces by Barbara Balzer.

If I had the bucks, this sculpture and the next one would have come home with me. Honest. My measly photos cannot do them justice. I took more than one angle of each, and you will understand why in a second.

Next is APPRENTICE by Barbara Balzer. 24 inches tall.

(T finally insisted I get away from this and give other people a chance to look it over.)

The next two are quilts. I can only remember the first one's title.

THE LOVERS. This one is gorgeous -- multidimensional and very tactile. And look at her pocketbook! incredible!

T and I thought of our friend Jeanne who made each of us a sweet half quilt before she left for her new life in London two years ago.

Fun, huh? There's more where this all came from but not today, Kids.

Say, don't forget to register for Vanessa's Mad Tea Party! It's not too late to join in!

I am so there on June 26th. Hope to see you too.

And, I am working on another doll... and speaking of dolls, look at THIS fun post. Congrats to Sarah! So thrilled to see her work up and at 'em.

Take care.

Candace

Changing Our Spots

First Look....
Can the leopard change her spots?



Meet Kat Fish. Her two photos show a bit of the work put in her. She's about a foot long.

Yes, as Kitten said, her name is perhaps a little corny but there IS such a creature as a Leopard Fish. So I’ve made the Leopard Fish my first merdoll. And just wait till I do my Lion Fish Merman. Dreadlocks you will not believe. Here she is stuffed almost totally and I am showing what I used to work on her. I put the denim and leopard fabric on felt... 4 sheets/$1 at HL... and glued the leopard skin onto the denim.

Kitten’s doll was quite the winner! We bugged Hobby Lobby for a while, looking at what else could be up re: the doll’s custom wear. This is a first glimpse. Neither of us have what I’d call “finished” works. But I do love this "mod" look Kitten's Long Tall Sally is sporting.

Alas, I did not even get started well on mine until we had Art Shenanigans over. Wild weather plus work, to be exact, plus T had a very rough evening and day healthwise and is still not up to snuff. Errands all day by myself on Sunday do NOT count as a day off.

Not to complain, however! Art Shenanigans is fun, no matter what! PLUS, I learned a new stitch, called the blanket stitch, and got some fun sites to look at as well, including one of my favourites -- which you can check out here. (I have it as Doll, under My Blog List.)

Mimi Kirchner is just fantastic in her work and all around daily philosophy. And I do love her fishies! Being a water sign, I guess I would.

Have a great week, everyone! Say, and what are you reflecting on??? Speaking of which, check out all those reflecting lights around those girls!
Take good care.
Candace

Earth Angels

Of course, you know her. Considered the most famous of paintings, this considered beauty is actually eclipsed by another on several lists.

Yet, almost everyone on our planet knows who she is. Her reputation precedes her. Nat King Cole sang a song about her. There’s a movie with her name, a British film about a mysterious woman who brings a man to ruin… of course. (What else are mysterious women good for, if not that? Yawn…)


And then there is “Flaming June”. My most favourite of Victorian paintings could not be sold, even for a mere pittance -- $160.00 (!!!) -- in the Swinging Sixties. The style had fallen out of favour so no one wanted her or anything like her. She now resides in the Ponce Museum of Art in San Juan, Puerto Rico. As they say: Priceless.

I saw her up close and personal when I visited my brother and s-i-l a few years ago. She’s considered THE painting of Puerto Rico. I think she should be considered for the painting of Earth Herself.

And say, I wonder who sings about this little earth angel?

Take care!

Candace, Still in Athens.

More Fun With Reflections

Hello everyone!

After a furiously fast and busy Saturday, I was ready for Sunday Reflections and found a fun subject with glassware at The Royal Peasant, my local pub, while T shopped at Earthfare.

My own happy glass of Blackthorn cider… giving me pause to reflect on the past week, as well as "drowning my sorrows" over losing glasses of a very different sort. Yep. I sure did. My prescription glasses are gone, baby, gone -- somewhere between the door and the car. A time portal nabbed them, no doubt.


But all is not doom and gloom in the Classic City. Earlier today, while visiting Athens Antiques, I found this beauty still there. I first saw her sitting all by her lonesome last summer. Never did I think she would still be waiting for someone to claim her, name her and take her away…

But there she was and away her carefully packaged self went, home to 235, keeping company with a couple of cigar box treasures.

Just look at Romeo y Juliet. That's artwork, isn't it? And the wood is perfect.

Below is a shot of the teacup and saucer T had to have. (Almost as bad as I am.)

A trio of very old dolls I named The Gleesome Threesome… and yes, of course, they’ve seen better days, but think about it. Haven’t we all?

And now, The Shape of Things To Come -- no, not the movie! Some templates Kitten gave me on her last visit. She is such a great friend to me. We have a good bond, especially over art and life in general. But say, I wonder what she’s hinting at this time?

I already have bits and pieces started up. Colours have been chosen. Fabrics are in place. I hope to have three of these li'l darlings finished this time next week -- one, a plain old Lovely Lady (okay, I guess if you have a fish tail you can't be too plain); the second, a hinged piece; and the third, a multimedia darling.

Take good care!
Candace

Reflections

Hello Everyone! I'm taking Sunday as an opportunity to reflect on this past week, month, whatever... and using it as a springboard for some fun shots like the ones below.

Like, the April Art Tree in the living room window at the opposite end of the house..

And then another photo, where I zoomed in and just as I snapped the shot, I coughed.

(I think I like this one better, though ... )

And my little birdhouse waits patiently for its transformation, reflecting on the piano Miss Jeanne left with me before moving to Merrie Olde. Hopefully there will be another visit with her soon....

Kitten came over Friday for some fun, a catch up and a gabfest. I finished up the April Hat... say, dig the antenna on the old bug here. Ha, it's actually the handles from a used but still brightly coloured Old Navy bag.

We also made a quick run to Michael's to pop it up a bit more with fabric flowers for extra texture and colour. The little blocks of flowers and birds are from old Coldwater Creek catalogs. The tiny butterfly is Compliments of Kitten.

And speaking of extra, those flowers not used on the "hat", made it onto the April Tree ... more than A Rites of Spring Tree, believe me. Hope you enjoy some of the shots I took.

I love the colours this season especially. Such lush pinks and scandalously bright yellows and those blues just won't sit down and behave! The little bird in the center of the next photo is actually on the cover of an egg shaped box... I might have to fill up THAT particular goody and let it fly away to a friend in need of good cheer.

BUT it's already time to starting thinking past April Showers (we've had one in 11 days so far) and get crackin' on those May Flowers for the Merry Month of May Day Tree.

What are YOU reflecting on as the new week rolls up?

Take care!
Candace, Still in Athens!

Ear Buds

And now, heeeerrrre's Kitten! (Applause) Gosh, it was so good to see her Sunday. I feel like it's been forever since we got together for GirlTime and Art Days.

Shown here modeling what every fashionista will be wearing this year... and she made them herself from felt. I have to have some!

She not only looks good, she can listen to whatever her heart desires while doing whatever needs doin' -- like More Art Shenanigans at My House Friday!

Another view above of the objets d'art.

Take care! I'll be back Sunday.

Candace

Happy

Spring to you. We have had great weather which has put everyone in great moods.


Miss Bun is enjoying the season

while I continue to enjoy what she's bringing along in the basket!

This is about three feet from my upper back deck. A MONTH ago, these were bare branches with snow. Amazing how they just keep coming back every year...

Went to a wonderful event with plenty o’ steampunk shenanigans -- including real Victorian Easter Egg Hunts complete with egg races with spoons on the lawn. Steampunk is a lot of fun but as T says, "sticking a gear in it and wearing funny round glasses doesn't make it steampunk". We saw quite a few aficianados like us who are into this fun phenomenon.

This guy came all the way from TAMPA to join in the fun.

And NASHVILLE.

Mrs. Cynthia McCloud, local author and lecturer and she makes a good cup of tea, too! Managed to get to a meet and greet she was sponsoring for a big steampunk convention. It was just nice to sit and chat.

I hope you enjoyed a few of the photos I managed to snap while getting (Steam) Punk’d. Say, guess who came for a visit when I returned to the Classic City?

Tune in this week for some ART Shenanigans.

Hasta la pasta!

Candace